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Thursday, February 27, 2014

A few days of complexity...at once entertaining, educational, emotional, and vastly rewarding...

a good lesson in being ALWAYS on the positive...regardless of twists and turns leading in a direction difficult to comprehend.

I apparently engaged a repeat of the December 2013 Heart Failure that ended with two "Stents" being added by surgery to my heart...my Cardiologist sending me back out on the roads...with plenty of wise conditions, but clearly emphasizing the heart condition is quite serious and could put me down at any time...

...SO, I walked...two months ago, setting off on this my 6th expedition across /around America.

But, another treasure slipped into my life; I was "issued" a new Primary Doctor, Dr. Shergill and her dedicated staff at the "Senior" section of St. Joseph's Hospital. Dr. Shergill's staff has embarked on a "passive" performance audit of my walk...and have already been measurable value to further progress my current set back.

the question of my DISCHARGE from Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has been resolved by the Attending Physician Dr. Hurwitz and I reaching a mutually acceptable understanding of each other's needs. The challenge filed with MEDICARE has been stopped...and I have accepted hospital discharge with my own accolades to the hospital and staff. Administration gifted me a $$ stippend to help defray my out of pocket cost for gasoline consumed. Thank you again...it was used for the purpose intended within the first 15 minutes of leaving Santa Rosa.

I now sit iat a Computer Table in BURGER KING in the most beautiful, lively and prosperous ":bedroom" community of WALNUT CREEK, California...an OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA suburb about 60 miles from downtown SAN FRANCISCO.

WALNUT CREEK is the home of my friends, Drs. DICK and SHANNON - PHD, with whom I have been invited to use my old bedroom for the next week while I await the one week period Dr Hurwitz has requested pass before I proceed with my walk. more tests will be conducted - together with one further physical exam. If all is well, I plan to continue with my 2nd circumnavigation.

While enjoying Dick and Shannon, I plan to range here and there on the Bay' East Side - and perhaps a visit into San Francisco itself. I have, after all, lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area four different times; which makes the City By The Bay one more place I call HOME.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

One week ago some food poisoning brought me some constenation. Simultaneous, my Heart got a bit rambunctious, putting out with more Heart Failure, resulting in a drowning / coughing sequence which became somewhat severe three days ago. My new Primary Doctor, Dr Shergill, ordered me to Emergency at the nearest hospital. I have ended up in the CARDIAC section of the St Joseph Community Hospital in SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA.

Before that , I walked and drove to the town of LEGGETT, CALIFORNIA, inyending to take California Hwy 1 the rest of the way to SAN DIEGO.

Following are images of that venture...

Lagoons along the Oregon Coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Being Sunday, not much going on in FORTUNA, CALIFORNIA...but Since I previously much enjoyed FORTUNA, took some time to walk around a bit.

FORTUNA heads a pristine agriculture valley leading into the AVENUE OF THE GIANTS...a touristy drive through dense groves of Redwood Trees.

Dairy Farm cattle heas home for the evening milking. This procession is nearly 1/2 mile long...slowly following the leader...head to tail...with each cow knowingly knowing her place.

At one time in recent years, the PACIFIC LUMBER COMPANY of the town of SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA. Today fewer than 100 employees remain in SCOTIA...with the town infrastructure still well and serving.

SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA.

Entry to THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS begins at this spot, some five miles from SCOTIA.

AVENUE OF THE GIANTS...

Campground where I stayed overnight...$33.00 for a camping space...with toilet, shower, and one of the most breath taking camp sites imaginable.

TYPICAL CAMPSITE.

Redwood Trees tend to grow in groups of four to six trees.

The remains of River Bend Winery...located within the Redwood Groves along the AVENUE OF THE GIANTS. Two years ago I purchased some fine wines at trhis winery...sad to see the loss of thie business.

...and that brings me to the village of LEGGETT, CALIFORNIA.

SUPPLEMENTAL to me lead-in comments, I have just been notified by the St. Joseph Hospital staff that determination of me heart condition is NOT serious and I have beeb discharged from the hospital...

That is not "TO BE" discharged...that is "ALREADY DISCHARGED" and no further activity regarding my heart will be discussed...in fact what was sent to my bedside was a hospital worker handing me a list of places I "MIGHT" find shelter and a meal TONIGHT.

I would have anticipated some discourse with one or more of the Cardiac doctors who have been working on my case from the moment I arrived.

The news was delivered by an "admin" type doctor whom I confided last evening that I had no "Spendable Income" to pay $$ beyond Medicare and Supplemental insurance.

It is quite clear to me that my discharge is because of limitation of my $$...NOT because of two or three "procedures" deemed a few hours to be necessary for the medical evaluation of my heart.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Staying another night in ORICK, CALIFORNIA, enabled me toexpand on meting more people and more interesting things about the town. Have been working on this two-day update for 5 hours...just the over 100 images to process. Now lets talk akout that which we have learned.

Please say HELLO to PAUL BUNYAN and his Blue Ox, BABE, both of whom are enshrined in a grove of live Redwood Trees...which I visited since the 1950s. Could not pass PAUL and BABE by without a stop to pay respects.

TREES OF MYSTERY...home of PAUL and BABE.

Indian Village of KLAMAH, where I stayed the two previous nights...really nice people !

Please say HELLO to BETTY, resident of ORICK, CALIFORNIA. Betty and I decorated the local Food Market while we chatted over one hour upon my arrival.

MAIN street, ORICK

Please say HELLO to SONNY, owner of the SNACK SHACK...where anything may be ordered as long as NO SUBSTITUTIONS to the menu. Enjoyed our discussions, SONNY.

ORICK School.

Look closely for the fisherman top center.

CHAIN SAW CARVING...one of many art pieces found in town shops.

Home of LES and NANCY, who called me in off the highway to share soup and sandwich in their home.

Please say HELLO to LES, who, together with NANCY loveingly work their three acres of ORGANIC crops, with three show horses, two young "watch" dogs...one of whom carried on a real conversation with me - tonal inflections and all-, a flock of ducks with their own clear water pond, and a flock of "range" chickens who knowingly find their to overnight safety in their Hootch.

Please say HELLO to NANCY, who excused herself early from our lunch as sh needed to finish hoeing that row of strawberries...their best cash crop of many thousand berries.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Interesting event in the evolution of CRESCENT CITY, CALIFORNIA when WALMART opened. It is said the first weekeng parking lot was over half full of RV and trailers. During the night, Campground owners organized a "attack"...pounding on RV / Trailer doors implying parking violations. Apparently the farce worked as the entire County passed legislation prohibiting "overnight parking anywhere. In any eveny, WALMART assured me that my car would be exempted...and I spent a tranquil quiet night at WALMART.

Building art in CRESCENT CITY...this of the City Lighthouses guiding marine traffic in and out of harbor.

Please say HELLO to Alan and Chris...two traveling companions hitch hiking across America with their dog, ROSE. i gave all three a 20 mile ride to our evening destination, KLAMA, California...a pristine AMERICAN Indian village.

Actually, this blog update is created on February 21, 2014, as KLAMA did not have sufficient signal to complete the posting yesterday.

Will combine today and tomorrow blog update tomorrow. Am in the town of ORICK, California this evening , February 21, and will stay here overnight, walk in the morning, blog in the afternoon...then perhaps stay a second night...some interesting folks are here, whom I have already met...some two years ago...nearly to the date, but 2 years later.

The CRESCENT of CRESCENT CITY Bay. I walked to, over that very distant hill and return to CRESCENT CITY MUST ADMIT I have been fighting a battle the past days. Recalled yesterday WHY ! 8 days ago, purchased 1/2 gallon fresh squeezed Orange Juice...took a couple drinks, and put the bottle behind the passenger seat...and promptly forgot about it...until finding and drinking from it again 3 days later...of course,, no refrigeration. I have been sick and out of sorts through last night. Was going to the Hospital, but there is none around here. Feel a bit better today, so perhaps I will, after all, survive this latest suicide attempt.

Came upon yet another herd of wild ELK. They were not much concerned about me, so I ignored them, too.